1. Field of invention
The invention relates to a swimming bath having one or more guide rails, and a vertical bath divider running on these rails by means of jackwheels or track rollers and driven by mechanical means over at least half of the length of the bath.
2. Description of prior art
A swimming bath is already known (cf. German Pat. No. 450 364) in which a bridging platform can be moved from a head recess over rails mounted on the edge of the bath by means of lines or ropes gripping it from a mechanically or manually operated winch. This bridge platform does not extend as far as the bottom of the bath so that it is possible to swim under it and there is a danger of accidents occurring. Also this bridging platform is made of steel and is therefore liable to corrosion as well as being expensive to manufacture.
A starting and turning platform for swimming baths is also known (cf. periodical "Sport- und Baderbauten" ("Sport and Bath Constructions") 7th volume 1967, pp. 252-258) which is constructed like a pontoon and provided with wheels which rest on tracks in the overflow channels which form the lateral overflow edge of the bath and are driven by electric motors or gears encased in the bridge. As in the bridging platform this turning bridge is constructed of metal and does not extend to the bottom of the bath, so it has the same disadvantages as the bridging platform. In addition, in both of the known arrangements the guide rails are unprotected and thus constitute a danger spot for bathers because of their slipperiness, and the squeeze areas before the rolling jackwheels cannot be protected against interference. Moreover such a floating member can only be moved when the bath is actually full of water, since otherwise the buoyancy cannot be utilised.
Finally stationary bath dividers are known (cf. German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2 118 991, issued on Oct. 26, 1972) which, however, are also mere floating bodies and can be raised from a submerged position by using buoyancy of water. Since these floating concrete bodies do not in every case reach from the surface of the water or the edge of the bath to the bottom of the bath, and in order to reduce the height of the construction - which would naturally also reduce the construction costs for deepening of the bottom of the pool, security aprons can be arranged to avoid underswimming. These bath-dividing floating bodies are not movable along the length of the bath and are not very stable since without substantial additions to the walls of the bath they cannot be secured against tilting. Also in the known arrangement for dividing a 50 m bath into two 25 m baths two floating bodies are necessary in each case.
3. Object of Invention
The main object of the invention is to improve the known swimming baths so that variable division of the bath is possible, the bath dividers can be economically manufactured, and use is sure and safe without restricting or in any way limiting the free access to the bath.